Y13 [EN]: Chapter 42

Y13-42 Summer League

Forced to make constant player substitutions as if perpetually on the defensive, the starting players, barely rested, are thrust back onto the court without fully recovering their stamina. It’s a relentless, vicious cycle.

“Kgh!”

Even so, John Wall remained John Wall, and NBA experience was still NBA experience. Even Trevor Booker and JaVale McGee, fatigued as they were, weren’t fazed by Musa Scek’s imposing 7-foot-4 (223cm) frame after he’d had ample rest. Instead, they relentlessly targeted his lower body, exploiting his high center of gravity and the sluggishness that came with his height, constantly disrupting Musa Scek’s balance.

Skillfully executing pick-and-rolls, alley-oops, and mid-range jumpers to confound Musa Scek and Omar Samhan was well within their capabilities.

[John Wall, with an explosive drive!!]

Thud!

Inevitably, Youngjae’s defensive focus began to waver. His initial strategy of cutting Wall off before he gained momentum was sound, but John Wall wasn’t the type to be passively contained, especially after being humbled by Youngjae’s earlier post-up.

[Between-the-legs dribble followed by a Euro step!]

[Youngjae Yoon is keeping pace! Incredible lateral movement and reflexes!]

[A spin! And another reverse spin!!]

John Wall’s spin moves were in a different league than Ty Lawson’s. They were so relentless, it seemed his ankle could snap at any moment. Even with Youngjae’s exceptional dynamic visual acuity, Wall’s final step in the spin involved extending his foot far out, covering an incredible distance.

In that instant, with his right ankle seemingly on the verge of twisting, Wall arrested his momentum, spun his body in the opposite direction, and whirled past Youngjae.

[Youngjae Yoon! He’s been breached! John Wall finally breaks through the cursed Y13, once thought to be an impenetrable wall!!!]

Beeeep!!

[Ah, he tried his best to stay with him, but a foul resulting in a free throw was the best he could manage. He simply couldn’t match John Wall’s movement this time. Frankly, it’s astonishing he hadn’t been beaten sooner. Besides, John Wall isn’t known for his free-throw accuracy. If he was going to get past him anyway, fouling with a free throw isn’t the worst outcome.]

As commentator Mike Breen pointed out, John Wall missed the first free throw after Youngjae’s foul, only sinking the second, failing to fully capitalize on the play. Consequently, John Wall and the Washington Wizards, whose momentum had already been disrupted, couldn’t close the widening score gap.

Beeeep-

The fourth quarter concluded with a score of 92 to 79. The steadily increasing gap had reached 13 points, and in the fourth quarter, Washington, seemingly mindful of the remaining Summer League games, heavily rotated their starters, who had played almost continuously until the third.

The reporters and spectators wore expressions of astonishment. They had come to see John Wall, to cover John Wall, and to focus on the Washington Wizards, but the spotlight had unexpectedly shifted to the Dallas Mavericks and Youngjae.

[An entirely unexpected outcome. This is precisely what makes basketball so captivating, isn’t it?]

[Indeed. John Wall, the center of attention, recorded 13 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, and 4 turnovers in 41 minutes, shooting 3/9 from two-point range, 1/3 from three-point range, and 4/6 from the free-throw line. Not a terrible stat line, but today’s protagonist was someone else entirely: Youngjae Yoon and Jeremy Lin.]

Brian Dunton couldn’t conceal his surprise, even while reviewing the stats. The two players who had secured victory and put up a strong fight against the highly touted John Wall were players whose contributions were largely underestimated going into the game. Jeremy Lin’s performance was a complete surprise, and while Youngjae had shown promise in previous games, it was widely believed he wouldn’t be able to sustain that level of play against John Wall.

Yet, Youngjae had completely overshadowed John Wall, and even if Jeremy Lin hadn’t dominated him, he had still gained an advantage and defended effectively. What expert could have predicted this outcome with even a 1% certainty?

[Ah, Jeremy Lin. He played for a relatively short 18 minutes, recording 11 points, 4 assists, 2 rebounds, and 1 turnover. Coming off the bench as a key reserve, he reliably protected the lead built by the starters and executed his role flawlessly. This game truly showcased his potential.]

[Haha, and Youngjae Yoon. He certainly lived up to the moniker Y13. In 31 minutes, he amassed a remarkable 21 points, 10 assists, 7 rebounds, and 4 steals. With zero turnovers, his performance was virtually flawless. It’s hard to believe these stats were accumulated while simultaneously shutting down John Wall on defense and penetrating Wall’s own defense. While recording a double-double [achieving double digits in two statistical categories, such as points and assists], he fully supported Rodrigo Bobroà, who was leading the offense, and even helped Bobroà pad his assist numbers. The fact that 6 of Bobroà’s 11 assists, a Summer League high for him, came from passes by Yoon, demonstrates that Yoon is solidifying his position as a core offensive player for Dallas.]

As the commentators reveled in their enthusiasm, ESPN’s caster Bonnie Bernstein beamed at the camera from the court.

“Hello? I’m Bonnie Bernstein from ESPN. Today’s game concluded with a 92-79 victory for the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavericks’ unexpected surge, defying expert predictions, is quite astonishing. At the heart of that surge is today’s MVP, Youngjae Yoon. Yoon? It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Youngjae had only ever seen female casters from a distance, so being interviewed in person was a novel experience, but that was the extent of it. Even though Bonnie Bernstein was a blonde Caucasian woman with a youthful and attractive appearance that belied her age (born in 1970), there was a 21-year age gap between them.

“Nice to meet you.”

Youngjae greeted her with a bright smile. Bonnie Bernstein, as always, conducted the interview with practiced skill, reaffirming her status as ESPN’s star reporter.

“You played for 31 minutes today and recorded 21 points, 10 assists, 7 rebounds, and 4 steals. It’s truly an incredible performance. With this, you’ve recorded double-doubles in 3 consecutive games, excluding the first game against Denver. How would you rate your performance today?”

“Ah— It was a really satisfying game. It’s not just about the high numbers I was involved in; I feel great because the teamwork with my teammates was the best it’s been in the Summer League so far, and we overwhelmed our opponent.”

Bonnie Bernstein responded with an “Oh-” of surprise and posed a slightly probing question.

“Still, aren’t you pleased? Anyone watching this team would consider you the ace, wouldn’t they?”

“It’s not that I dislike the idea or that I’m trying to be humble. It’s simply the truth. Basketball isn’t a solo sport, so there’s no way I can be the ace on my own. Of course, teams with superstars can win if that player consistently scores, even if the game isn’t going well. Some teams win through the sheer power of their superstars, but I prefer this approach more.”

Bonnie, the cameraman, and the commentators couldn’t help but admire Youngjae’s words. It was common for professional basketball players to credit their teammates for their contributions to the team’s victory, but Youngjae was only nineteen. Moreover, his usual play style demonstrated the sincerity of his words.

“If I were the ace, which is unlikely, the point difference should have narrowed while I was on the bench. But it didn’t… All the Mavs players who played today had good stats. That’s what makes it a perfect game. I think today’s game was truly ideal. That’s why I feel so good. Ah!”

During the interview, Youngjae gestured as if he had spotted someone. The two players watching the interview from a distance shook their heads, indicating they were fine, but at Youngjae’s insistence, they eventually approached.

“Ah! It’s Rodrigo Bobroà and Jeremy Lin!”

At Bonnie Bernstein’s announcement, the cameraman briefly shifted focus to capture Bobroà and Lin, who were smiling awkwardly. They walked over and stood on either side of Youngjae, seemingly resigned to their fate since they were already being filmed.

“This guy! Bobroà had 11 assists today and played well on both offense and defense, right? It would have been absolutely impossible if I was alone. And this guy! Lin maintained the point difference and put up a strong performance against John Wall, right? And it’s not just these two. All of our Mavs teammates are in the locker room now, but…”

Waaaa!!!

At that moment, the players who were thought to have gone to the locker room all rushed out and swarmed Youngjae, Lin, and Bobroà, creating a chaotic scene. It seemed the players, wondering why Lin and Bobroà hadn’t returned, had seen the interview and rushed out to join in.

“Uh, anyway, you know what I mean, right?”

As the players jumped around and cheered, Youngjae, looking slightly overwhelmed, forgot he was in an interview and tried to calm them down.

“Ah, ah… Yes. I fully understand what you mean. I’ll ask Bobroà and Lin a question. What kind of player is Yoon usually?”

Bobroà grinned playfully and gave a thumbs-up.

“He’s a damn bastard!”

“Pardon?”

“He’s literally a damn bastard. He’s good at what he does, he’s diligent, he jokes around a lot, he has good interpersonal skills, and he’s kind and considerate. He’s the kind of guy you want to hate but can’t.”

Following Bobroà’s words, Jeremy Lin shrugged and smiled slightly.

“Actually, until this morning, I didn’t know anything about him other than that he was a teammate. He’s really a damn bastard. The first thing he said to me when I was about to go in as a substitute was to have confidence, right? It’s not like he’s a coach or anything. But it’s also true, isn’t it? And then he said to me at the end: ‘Isn’t it fun? Isn’t basketball fun?’ I think I rediscovered the joy of basketball that I had forgotten because of him. That’s why I played well. As Bobroà said, he’s a damn bastard. He’s a friend you can’t hate.”

Youngjae was surprised that Jeremy Lin praised him so highly, even calling him a “friend,” but Lin seemed caught up in the moment and was busy making a shy V-sign at the camera.

“Lastly, Yoon, do you have anything to say to John Wall, your opponent today?”

“He was a more formidable opponent than anyone I’ve faced before. He didn’t waver at all, even when I tried to provoke him, and he played his game steadily. Honestly, there were times when it was really tough. But I will never lose to John Wall in the future. I will always win.”

An interview bordering on a declaration of war. Bonnie Bernstein, Mike Breen, and Brian Dunton were unsure how to react to Youngjae’s statement. Bonnie Bernstein couldn’t shake the chill she felt as she wrapped up the interview, seeing Youngjae as a sharp, determined adversary who had to be crushed if he wasn’t on your side.

Brian Dunton also felt a slight chill and skillfully changed the tone, delivering his closing remarks.

[These are two players to really watch out for. I’ll cautiously predict that the breakout star of the Summer League will be Y13. That concludes our broadcast for today. This has been Brian Dunton, with commentary by Mike Breen. Thank you.]

Dallas (4 wins) 92:79 Washington (2 wins, 1 loss)

============================ Author’s Notes ============================

★Thank you to those who gave me advance reservations, recommendations, comments, and coupons!!

※Double-double: Recording double digits in 2 of the 5 stats of points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks. Ex) 15 points 11 rebounds, 20 points, 11 assists, 10 rebounds 12 assists, etc.

※Between-the-legs: A move to take the ball out from between the legs.

＠The Summer League has ended. The next chapter will be the preseason. After the preseason, the regular season will begin. During this period, the Basketball World Cup will be held, but Korea did not qualify for the tournament due to poor performance in the 2009 tournament.

＠As per the readers’ advice, I will organize the terms and information over the weekend and upload them to the yard [online community]. Those who want to visualize or know the information can check it out in the yard. I will write in the afterword when I upload it to the yard.

찬란한유산님///1 Thank you for the coupon~

커요커요님///Yes. Thank you for your opinion~

니앞에꽃미남님, 의설님/// Thank you

천상별리님/// Yes. I’m planning to take it one step at a time as you said.

바람남님/// I’ll try to do a series of chapters on the weekend.

그림자소년님/// I’m glad you like it. Thank you for your opinion

가한可汗님/// Yes. Eventually, if you continue to perform well, you will become the ace. As you said, NBA contracts are very complicated. The contracts from 08-11 are different, and the contract methods from 12-16 are different. The details and ratios are also complicated.

진지무적독자님///Hehe, thank you for the compliment. I’m trying to incorporate a lot of information easily. I think I’ll get faster as I get used to it.

우유동자님 /// He did a decent job with the Lakers this season. He has decent stats as a bench point guard. However, he seems to lack a bit to play in a strong team.

라피르and진트님/// Yes. It was really amazing… The team situation at the time was a good fit for Lin, so he really exploded, but these days there aren’t many teams that fit that situation well.

백월량님/// That’s why LeBron is called a physical monster… It’s rare to have a player who is so consistently healthy and classy. He’s getting older, so he’ll decline, but I think he’ll still be healthy.

두번째날개님, 오마리온님/// Thank you~ Please take care of me in the future.

anwkdk님/// That’s right. The power of marketing was amazing. I don’t think there would have been such a boom if it wasn’t for Nike’s marketing and the dramatic story of returning after baseball and winning 3 championships.

-DarkANGEL- 님, 쿤다라님, 파이넨시아님/// Thank you for your comments as always.

베지밀군님/// I’ll try to include it in an article or column soon~ I’m also considering other methods

론즈하트님/// Duncan was indeed Duncan. The Clippers were a shame.

고기를먹자님/// Rondo;;; He won’t be coming to this article.

예스커먼님/// Thank you for reading~

마늘말고갈릭으로줘님/// Haha, another person who likes basketball novels has come.

아방사수님///Tony Parker was top class until last year. He’s been a bit sluggish this season, but he’s still going strong haha